Kusarigama
by Starzki
Summary: Defeating Naraku and getting married did not mean the end of Miroku and Sango's adventures. They must journey once more to find Kohaku, joining again with Inuyasha and Kagome to face their next enemy.
1. Kanashimi

Kusarigama

By Starzki

* * *

Chapter One: Kanashimi

-x-

The sun was hot that day. It was so hot and bright out, in fact, that Sango interrupted her work in organizing and patching up the village's armory in order to find a straw hat to protect her face and head from the midday sun. While nailing up boards to cover the holes in the wall of the weapons' house, she began contemplating the pros and cons of tearing down the old wall and just starting it again, fresh. But her sun-fuzzed brain was incapable of any thought apart from, _It's time to take a break and drink some nice, cool water_.

Sango finally decided to not fight the temptation to rest any more. Dropping the hammer and scrap pieces of wood, she made her way over to the well in the center of town. She had drawn up the bucket that morning and placed it in the shade knowing how thirsty these long summer days filled with work made her.

To make matters worse, she was alone. Miroku was supposed to return sometime in the next few days, but she was beginning to get anxious to see him again. He was her husband and she missed him.

_Husband_.

Sango still had trouble wrapping her mind around the fact that she was married. It had been six months since their wedding, seven months since they had all defeated Naraku, and two-and-a-half years since she had joined that strange little group to begin with. But she still sometimes stuttered when she introduced Miroku as her husband.

And he was actually turning out to be a better husband than she could have wished.

That fact, alone, didn't surprise Sango all that much. She knew he was a wonderful man; that's why she had married him. But she _was_ a little surprised at how little things had changed in the way they tackled life after Naraku. They were still a team, partners.

Miroku had agreed that they should settle in the old demon slayers' village and see if they could rebuild it. They usually worked together to make the homes livable: clearing out debris, reallocating supplies and furniture to each dwelling, gathering scrap and other remnants of destruction to refashion into material they could use again. Their goal was to make it as easy as possible for those who wanted to move into that village to get settled.

Whenever they ran out of supplies or just needed to see other people, they would often travel together to nearby villages to make trades and purchases and to spread the word that they slayers' village was being rehabilitated. They also let it be known that they were available for hire as demon slayers, themselves.

However, with the recent abundance of sunshine, Sango was loath to leave the village when so much work could be done. So, recently, Miroku had journeyed without Sango. At first, Sango had been nervous, but she had made herself trust in his fidelity and she hadn't been disappointed. Also, since Kirara accompanied Miroku, Sango knew that he would lose any appendage that came too close to inappropriately touching another woman.

Besides, they were discovering that absence _did_ make their hearts grow fonder and the nights after the few days apart had become some of her favorite times.

Wrinkling her nose at the unpleasant smell of scorching grass and burning dust, Sango took a long drink of water from the bucket's ladle. Temporarily refreshed, she brought a finger to her mouth and hoped fervently that Miroku would be back soon. She was anticipating having another one of those nights again.

In the beginning, Sango had briefly worried that her new husband had turned her into a pervert, too. She had discovered that she was every bit as eager to make love with him on their wedding night as he had been. It was a little shocking to her, the strength of that desire to be as close to him as she could physically be. She had expected to feel shy and modest about the whole thing, but after so much time and so much hope and so many promises, she was more than ready when the time came. Everything had been right. Everything had felt right (well, more than right, more like outstanding). After overcoming so many obstacles, they had finally been able to indulge in some for their well-deserved reward.

Sango absently bit a nail as she gazed down the main path of the village and daydreamed of Miroku. The intense sun made watery mirages and cast about illusions in the dappled and inconstant shade of the villages' few trees. In fact, the bright sun and the tricks it was playing on her eyes caused Sango to start at the image of Miroku coming down the path toward the well. She smiled to herself, allowing her eyes to remain on the unsteady and billowy figure because she wanted so badly for the illusion to be real.

After about a minute of staring at the image, she realized that it was steadily growing stronger. It _was_ real. Miroku was home.

"Houshi-sama!" she yelled, throwing aside the ugly straw hat and trying to make her hair look more presentable, all while sprinting towards her husband. "Kirara!" she added, realizing upon seeing the demon cat in her large form how much she'd missed her feline companion as well.

Miroku carefully set down the basket he had been carrying and opened his arms wide. He smiled as Sango launched herself at him. He caught her and swung her around. The whole time Sango was planting little kisses on his face and giggling.

Miroku righted Sango on her feet, brushed all the stray hair away from her face, pulled her to him, and kissed her soundly, savoring her taste. The effect of the kiss was the same as always, the same as that first time. Bright light exploded behind closed eyelids and warm tremors shot through their bodies, stealing their breaths, and making them terribly aware of their own heartbeats.

Sango laughed again, delighted that Miroku was back so early, and she kissed him noisily on the mouth before pushing him away and bending to embrace Kirara who was patiently waiting her turn for Sango's attention and affection.

"I guess you missed us a little," laughed Miroku.

"Nah," lied Sango. "I barely noticed you were gone." She straightened and embraced Miroku again, squeezing him as tightly as she could.

"We missed you, too, Sango," said Miroku.

Sango continued to hold him. "Did you hear anything?" she asked finally.

"No," Miroku said with some sadness in his voice. "But I put the word out. We'll keep looking. We'll find Kohaku." Along with spreading the word that the demon slayers' village was ready for work and new inhabitants, Sango and Miroku asked everyone they came across if they had heard anything about Kohaku, explaining that he may not have any memory prior to the time of Naraku's defeat.

Sango pulled away and tried not to look too sad. "I'm glad you're back," she said finally, willing the smile to her face.

"I'm glad I have a place to come home to," Miroku said softly and with some emotion.

Sango took Miroku's elbow, ready to steer him toward their home where they could eat and talk out of the glare of the bright sun. But she paused when she noticed the basket Miroku had been carrying. This was a trip he had taken to spread information and to ask about Kohaku, not one where he was supposed to bring something back.

"What's that?" asked Sango.

"It's for you," answered Miroku. "It's to keep you company whenever Kirara and I have to travel."

Sango peeled away the basket's cloth covering and gasped loudly. She brought her hand to her mouth and looked at Miroku with moist eyes.

"A puppy?" she managed to whisper and squeal at the same time. An aspect of elation spread across her features as Sango clapped softly and looked down at the sleeping black bundle of fur.

Miroku smiled back at her, glad that she was excited about her present.

Suddenly Sango was full of questions. "How old? Boy or girl? Have you named it?"

"He's a boy, just weaned. So he's about eight or nine weeks old. I was going to let you name him."

Sango gently picked up the lethargic puppy. He was a ball of warm softness. She could instantly tell that his fuzzy black puppy fur would stiffen and become sleek. His paws were enormous, promising he would grow to become a large dog. She brought the puppy to her face and kissed his short nose that would lengthen as he aged. She smelled the unique smell that wasn't exactly pleasant, yet could never be called unpleasant, either.

"He has puppy breath!" she exclaimed, nuzzling him into her neck as he shifted and tried to become comfortable in the heat and smells of a new situation.

"What do you think we should call him?" asked Miroku.

Sango brought the dog up to her face and watched with a growing smile as he sleepily opened his eyes and stared back at her. When he finally yawned, exhibiting his pink curling tongue and tiny teeth, Sango laughed and again looked at Miroku with misty eyes.

"Kanashimi," she decided.

Miroku paused. The name was odd, but seemed somehow fitting. "Kanashimi? It's such a sad name."

"Yes," averred Sango. "Whenever fate or whatever or whomever sees fit to dole out sorrow to people, and gets to us, they can say, 'Miroku and Sango already have Kanashimi in their life. They obviously don't need any more.' And he's obviously a very serious dog. He needs a serious name," she ended lightly.

"Yes," Miroku agreed. They already had enough of the bad kind of sorrow in their life. The ball of fluff that was Kanashimi could do nothing but stave off future sorrow from the powers that be from any more. Or so he hoped.

"Well, what do you say we get Kanashimi out of this blaring sun and into his new home?" said Miroku.

Sango snuggled the puppy again. "An inside dog?"

"Yes. I think he'll be good practice for us for when we finally become parents of our own kids," Miroku answered with a chuckle, wrapping his arms around Sango and kissing her ear, making her squeal with delight.

Sango and Miroku all but ran back to their home and began to shed their clothes as soon as they hit the door to their small house. Kanashimi was a little jostled when Sango set him down on a small mat near the bed. He sleepily regarded the new room. It was pleasantly dark to his sensitive and tired eyes. The new smells were pleasant and lived-in, obviously a place of established masters who could be counted on for care. But more than that, he felt an extraordinary amount of love in the air, similar to the care he had felt from his mother as she nursed and cared for his brothers and sisters. The noises here were strange, though, as they vibrated through the increasingly humid room. An odd singing was coming from his new human masters as they moved in synchronization on the slightly elevated mat. But the singing was nice, if a little sad, and the puppy decided that he didn't mind it. The sounds were low and loving, perfect accompaniment to fall asleep to that day and any day. So he made his way over to the discarded robes of his new master, pawed it into a kind of nest, turned around a few times on his new makeshift bed, and instantly fell asleep.

-x-

Kanashimi proved to be good luck. The day after his introduction to Miroku and Sango's family, two new couples moved into the village. All had some fighting experience and wanted to make their livings honing their skill and slaying evil and destructive demons.

As the months wore on and summer finally exhausted itself and autumn fell, individuals, couples and families trickled into the village. Sango and Miroku suddenly had help in repairing the village and rebuilding its reputation.

Sango took control of training all of the fighters in weaponry and technique used in demon combat. She was generally well respected throughout the village, her reputation and lineage making her the natural leader of the new band of slayers.

Miroku kept traveling, but a little less often. He trained with the other exterminators, but also wanted to do something that honored his own training. He decided to make a space within the village a spiritual domain. While he still wore his priestly robes and believed in all the same tenants of Buddhism as he did as an itinerant monk, he was a little unsure of his place within the monastic community. But he felt that that making a shrine, a place of worship, which incorporated all of his early teachings was something he had to do. However, he felt uncomfortable leading spiritual rituals for people within his community. He had never been much of a monk, even with his spiritual powers. And even as his life had changed toward the more upstanding, he couldn't deny he did not follow his teachings as well as he should. It felt hypocritical, being a spiritual leader to those he accepted as neighbors, but it was something he assumed he would work out with time.

As winter approached, both Sango and Miroku noticed the changes in Kanashimi. He grew exponentially, it seemed. When he was four months old, the top of his head was level with Sango's hip as he stood by her side. Every day, Kanashimi lost some of his puppy appearance and gained some training of his own.

Four months after Kanashimi's introduction to their small family, when he was six months old, small routines became established. The night the messenger showed up at their door was no exception.

The few hours between dinnertime and bedtime generally became playtime with Kanashimi so that he could work off all of his puppy energy and so that Sango and Miroku could rest after long days filled with hard work.

That night, the night of the messenger, Miroku and Sango were teasing Kanashimi by throwing a large ball of string that Kanashimi adopted as his own toy back and forth, not allowing the puppy to get a hold of it. Sango laughed at the desperately pleading looks Kanashimi would give her to persuade her to give him the ball. He even resorted to his repertoire of tricks to show off to Sango how good and smart he was and that he obviously deserved the ball. Above all things in the world, Kanashimi wanted to please Sango; he was almost desperate to please her.

This was because Sango was the disciplinarian. When she was mad, he cowered in shame for whatever indiscretion angered her. When she praised him in his training, the puppy managed to strut with pride and joy. But currently, he only wanted the ball. Instead of further teasing the puppy, Sango threw the ball across the room for him to fetch.

Unfortunately, Sango threw it toward the napping Kirara. After tearing across the room to retrieve the ball, Kanashimi abruptly became distracted by the reflexive twitching of the small fire cat's twin tails. Kanashimi skidded to a stop, looked left and right, sprinted a lap around the perimeter of the room to pick up speed and pounced on Kirara, nipping at an ear. Kirara was not unused to such attention from the puppy, but that did not make her happy about it.

For her own part, Kirara also was involved in Kanashimi's upbringing. Kirara mothered the puppy as if he were one of her kittens. When he was small, Kirara would carry him around by his scruff and deposit him out of the way, but under her watchful eye. Kanashimi never felt lonely for his own mother because he always could curl up with her in her larger form and be lulled to sleep by her steady heartbeat and breathing. Kirara also helped to keep the mischievous puppy in line. Any annoying teasing from the dog while she was in her large or small form would result in an immediate and clawed reprimand by the demon cat. But Kirara enjoyed Kanashimi's playfulness and often encouraged some of his minor disobedient behavior.

But not this time. Kirara awoke with a fierce growl that ended in a menacing hiss. As far as she was concerned, Kanashimi needed to learn the importance of letting fire cats get their necessary post-dinner beauty nap. A small whoosh resounded, which Kanashimi knew was the precursor to Kirara transforming into her larger self and batting him on the head for being such a bad puppy.

Therefore, at the sound, Kanashimi sprinted behind the seated Miroku and pressed up against his back, trembling slightly. Kanashimi peered fearfully over Miroku's shoulder to see that the sound had been a mere threat and that Kirara was curling up to nap once again. Miroku chuckled and scratched the now chastised dog behind his ears, which earned him a relieved nuzzle to his shoulder.

Miroku was the one Kanashimi ran to in order to be consoled or comforted when upset or scared. It reminded Sango a little of how Shippou would act after being tormented by Inuyasha, running to Miroku for protection. Miroku made a lousy dog trainer, though. His patience and knowledge were endless, but he often tried reasoning with the pup no matter how many times Sango reminded him that Kanashimi did not understand his words. His voice was too soothing and understanding for the puppy to know exactly when and how he had done something wrong.

Both Miroku and Sango laughed as Kanashimi regained his courage and remembered the game they had been playing. He crept as stealthily as he could to retrieve the ball of yarn from next to Kirara. After gently lifting it without further rousing the cat, he trotted happily over to Sango and dropped the ball in her lap, ready to resume their play.

It was worth all the exasperation of raising a puppy to live with Kanashimi. He made Sango laugh. And when Sango laughed, Miroku and Kirara were glad and happy as well. Kanashimi could tear around, evincing his "puppy crazies," as Sango called them, then turn over onto his back and grin up at whoever was closest with his tongue lolling on the ground with an expression that just begged laugher from everyone around.

Highly contrary to his name, Kanashimi was an unserious puppy that encouraged joy and mirth in his adoptive family. He only grew serious among strangers, feeling the desperate need to protect his family. But alone with them, he acted silly and young enough to remind them of the time before their too-short childhoods ended.

The levity he brought to the room was well needed that late autumn evening because it would be the last time in a while that they would be relaxed and at peace in their new home.

-x-

Outside their house, a chill wind, fragrant with burning fires and baking food, bit the air and howled around small houses as the messenger strode up the main walkway of the village. After a few questions to the people he met in the small town's center, the young man made his way to Miroku and Sango's hut.

After rapping sharply on the doorframe, the messenger encountered a completely black, huge, skinny, growling dog. Immediately afterward, the mistress of the house commanded the dog to sit, which he did instantly an obediently. Sango asked the young man what his business was as she was joined at the doorway by her husband.

"I have heard you are looking for a young man who does not remember his past."

Sango and Miroku's eyes lit up briefly before becoming guarded. They had been let down by false hopes before.

"Yes?" Sango asked hesitantly.

The messenger replied, "My master, on his travels to Mount Fuji, encountered a young man who did not remember his past. This young man impressed my master with his fighting and athletic skill. Then, upon my master's return home, he heard word that you two were looking for a young man that matched this very description. He sent me to tell you all that he knows."

Sango looked to Miroku with worried expectation in her eyes. She was afraid to hope too strongly that this could be her brother, after all this time. But she was even more reluctant to give up hope that he could be found.

"What do you know, exactly?" asked Miroku. He would need to be strong and steady for Sango, who was strong on her own concerning all subjects except that of her brother.

"Just that this young man was the ward of an alchemist in a lower altitude village on the East face of Mount Fuji. There is but one such village. The young man was very skilled with the kusarigama. This kusarigama."

The messenger then held out the weapon for Miroku and Sango to see.

Sango took in a deep breath and took the sickle and chain. "It's his," she said finally. "He fashioned the handle himself. It bears his mark. How did your master come to possess it?" she asked the messenger.

"The young man said he had no further use for weapons. He was forsaking fighting and would rather die than have to take another life. He liked my master for his kindness and thought he would take good care of his weapon and not let it fall into the hands of those who would misuse it. When my master came home and heard of the houshi and demon exterminator who were seeking this young man, he sent me at once. He asked me to give the weapon to you."

Sango was speechless. Miroku was too, for a few seconds. Then he asked the messenger to come in and have a warm drink. Both he and Sango wanted to hear everything this young man on their doorstep had to say. They wanted to hear it twice.

They would find Kohaku and bring him home. That night would mark the beginning of their next journey.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

Author's Note (a.k.a. giving appropriate credits): I'm writing again, I guess. I respond well to reverse psychology, even from myself. The very next thought after _Maybe I'll stop writing fanfics_ was: _My next fanfic will be…_

Anyway, I need to acknowledge some sources for this story:

First, I was reading John Irving's _Hotel New Hampshire_ while outlining this story and anyone who has read it will see its influence on this fic. First, I named the black Labrador Sorrow. I don't know if they had black Labs in Japan, but they might have a mutt that would look like one, so that's what he is. I originally planned to name the puppy an equally inappropriate descriptive noun, but Sorrow fit just as well, if not better. I'll try not to be so heavy handed in the use of Sorrow as a metaphor. He's just a normal dog. Also influenced by _Hotel_ is the euphemism of singing being the sound people make during sex. I just thought it was pretty and, again, it fit. It's not my invention, but I'm also not using it in exactly the same way. (Let me also say that I will not officially recommend _The Hotel New Hampshire_. It's kind of disturbing, plot-wise. I love, adore, and worship the book, but you kind of have to be into John Irving to fully get it. Let's just say that if you loved _The World According to Garp_, I would recommend _Hotel_.)

Second, this story is also a result of reading Personification of Fluff's _Complete and Unconditional_, Lady of Ithilien's _Lingering Ghosts_ (seriously, go out and read and review that awesome story), and whatever other stories I know I'm forgetting that show Miroku and Sango post Naraku, post marriage and manage to keep it interesting. I hope my story even approaches all those great fics.

Finally, this story is a result of all of those other MirSan lovers out there who read my stories and write their own terrific fics. I'm talking especially about Aamalie, who I'm sure is reading this right now, Iggy, Aprill May, and all of the others (you know who you are) who make me actually want to write _for_ this particular community because I know there is some kind of constant support for good writing in it. All of you make me try and be a better writer, so thank you. I'm going to try and cut out future author's notes or specific replies to reviews unless it's something necessary to understanding the story. Just know that I appreciate any thoughts, ideas, praise, and constructive criticism that I get. So thanks in advance.

This will be a long one (I mean the story, not the author's note, ha ha :-P). Longer than any of my fics to date. It's all plotted out and I hope my notoriously short writing attention span will hold out so that I will actually finish it. Updates will come as soon as I can write them. I'm a busy girl, so they might not be common, but I'll do the best I can.

TTFN.


	2. To End, To Begin

Kusarigama

By Starzki

* * *

Chapter 2: To end, to begin

Sango smiled as she hoisted her hiraikotsu and strapped it to her back. It was like an old friend, a longtime important part of her life. It was fitting that it was coming along for the next adventure. But, she briefly indulged in the fleeting and unbidden thought at how much less sore her shoulders would be at the end of the day if she had been trained with a weapon that was a little less heavy.

Miroku wrapped the chain of the kusarigama around his waist and tucked the handle of the kama into the fashioned belt. The folds of his robes quickly fell around the weapon so that it was visible, but inconspicuous.

The couple went over all the things they had packed for their journey. They packed light but expected to be gone for almost a month. With winter coming, promising intemperate days, they knew that travel through the heavy wooded and hilly areas around Mount Fuji might not always go smoothly.

Sango tucked some food into a cloth and folded it into a pocket of her dark blue yukata. Now a wife, she could no longer wear bright colors allowed to the unmarried women of her culture. However, she didn't dress exactly like all of the other wives, either. She had sewn secret pockets and hidden seams within the pretty clothing to hide her poison powders and smaller weapons that she might need while demon slaying or traveling across war-torn territories.

They were leaving early. Sango called to Kanashimi as the four of them left the village they had been so instrumental in re-founding. If all went well and they traveled quickly, they could make it to Kaede's village before their customary bedtime. Since it was on their way, they wanted to stop by and say hello to Kaede and Shippou. They also hoped that they might run into Kagome and Inuyasha, back from her futuristic world for some kind of vacation or visit. It would be good to see familiar faces again.

As the sun began it's slow accent over the horizon, the four of them, Miroku, Kirara, Sango, and Kanashimi, quietly left the slayers' village with the hope that there would be five of them returning. Light frost covering the ground smelled sharp and clear like nothingness and promise.

-x-

The first hour passed in sleepy, pleasant silence. As the sun rose and the vapor from their mouths became invisible, Sango smiled and made a request.

"I think I'd like a memory, Houshi-sama."

Miroku smiled and said, "Of course, Sango. What kind of memory would you like?" It was a game of their own making and he would happily fulfill her request.

Sango bit her lip. "Tell me about when you last saw Kohaku."

Miroku's eyes darted to Sango and saw that she was serious and anxious. He had shared that memory with her many times and it always seemed to hurt her a little bit each time he told it. The reason she was requesting it now was because she probably wanted to prepare herself, her mind, for whatever lay before them. Miroku would not deny her.

"Would you like to hear about the whole last battle with Naraku, or just the part with Kohaku?"

"The whole thing please."

"Alright. But only if you fill in your memories of it, too," Miroku asked. Sango nodded. They had told this story to one another before. It was a day of both great triumph and sadness. Sometimes they lingered on the parts of heroism. Other times, they focused on what they had lost. In any case, it was a day that held some of their most precious memories.

Miroku collected his thoughts and cleared his throat before he began. "The morning of our battle, we had known it would either be the day we took Naraku down or the day we died."

Sango added, "I was shocked that everyone actually came together and agreed on a strategy."

"So was I. But when it came down to it, we all knew it had to be done and it was the only way to defeat Naraku. We had to work together as a team. I don't think Naraku realized the extent of our power when we joined forces. As a whole, our group was definitely greater than the sum of its parts."

Sango snorted. "And it was Naraku's own pure stupidity that he managed to piss off such a powerful group of people. His plan's major flaw was that it underestimated us and the lengths we would go to in order to eliminate him."

Miroku nodded. "Yes. Although I must admit that I didn't realize how powerful we would all be when we worked together, either."

Sango smiled softly. She knew the rest of the story by heart. So did Miroku. And as they relayed their memories of that day to one another, the things they saw and did, their accounts bled into one another to form the story of Naraku's downfall.

-x-

It had actually been Kikyou who was the real hero of the day in more ways than one. Because Naraku kept such close tabs on her, thanks to Onigumo's heart, she became more and more aware of where he hid, what patterns he followed in his life.

Kikyou was manipulative. She knew what to say and how to act to position everyone like chess pieces in order to deal her final blow and avenge her own death.

She had somehow been able to manipulate Naraku into uniting the parts of himself that he had spread asunder across Japan. She discovered where he was and how he would move, thinking he was stalking her when, in fact, it was she who was stalking him.

After she figured out where Naraku was, heart and all, Kikyou _suggested_ to Sesshoumaru how to find Naraku. She had _hinted_ to Kouga where his enemy was. She _directed_ Kohaku to take a particular path. She _led_ Inuyasha, and with him came the rest of their group, to where she needed all of them.

In effect, she drew each of Naraku's enemies into an ever-tightening circle around the full, whole, and reconstituted Naraku. And when each became aware of the others' presence in the area, they realized that it was Kikyou's doing and that they would all have to work together to defeat their common foe.

The night before was tense and anticipatory. Inuyasha had taken Kagome aside to talk with her alone. Miroku and Sango held hands all night long, alternately staring into the fire's dying embers and into one another's eyes. They didn't speak. They didn't need to. Everything had already been said. As the first light stained the black sky, Sango leaned over and shyly kissed Miroku: their first kiss.

"I don't want to die regretting that I didn't do that," confessed Sango.

"You won't die. We won't die," whispered Miroku. His immediate reaction, wishing that she hadn't kissed him, wasn't one he expected having. The long night and the day to come was playing havoc on his nerves.

"We might. It's okay. Now, I don't have any regrets." Sango was calm, accepting of whatever fate awaited her, even if it was death. Miroku envied her. He was terrified. Her kiss only made him more superstitious that this would be their last moments alone together. He had been prepared to die for most of his life because of his curse. Now, death scared him. He wasn't afraid of his own death, rather, he was afraid of facing life without Sango.

He tore his eyes away from her, unwilling to talk more about the awful consequences that the coming day might bring.

It was then that Inuyasha and Kagome came back looking tired, sad, apprehensive, and eager all at the same time. Kagome's eyes were red, but she had a dreamy smile that constantly tugged at the corners of her lips. They all knew that Sesshoumaru, Kikyou, Kouga, and Kohaku were around. The plan called for them to meet up and confront Naraku on the outskirts of the nearby village.

Miroku used the last few minutes to meditate. Sango prayed. Shippou fretted. Kagome went over everyone's weapons and her supplies. Inuyasha calmly readied himself, visualizing the battle to come.

Then they left.

Everything had gone as close to the plan as they could have hoped.

Kouga sacrificed the jewel shards in his legs to Kagome and Kikyou. He would join Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, and Kohaku in providing Naraku's noisy distraction. Naraku had more than enough parts to take on the group, but a combined effort on different fronts might be just enough for the united, two-pronged attack: Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga attack and Kagome and Kikyou's spiritual assault.

Naraku, himself, showed up in full force. He realized only slightly too late that Kikyou had been instrumental in setting him up. It was then that Naraku decided that it was time that he took out his most powerful foes all at once and forever be free of their meddling. Naraku reabsorbed Kanna and the other minions he had called to the battle that day. The game was set; winner take all.

The fight started explosively and never waned in its fevered pitch. Kirara, with Shippou on her back, distracted Naraku's poisoned insects and deflected any attacks on their friends and allies from above with brute force, foxfire, and any trickery that Shippou could devise.

Miroku fought near Kouga. They proved well-suited partners in fighting Naraku. Miroku was largely stationary, flinging his sacred sutras and using his Kazaana when he could while Kouga provided the kinetic and frenzied attacks on the tentacles and claws that Naraku threw at them.

Sango fought next to her brother. A few glances from Kohaku and the few exchanged words made Sango realize that he had his memory back, that he was her brother again, and that he would give his life to end Naraku's. She was glad and fought harder than she ever had in her life. They fell into step, alternately attacking while the other withdrew so that their fight with Naraku would be constant, not giving him time to ignore them and turn his attention to where the real attack would be coming from.

For the first time in their lives, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru didn't argue with each other. They did not have time. It was their responsibility to join the powers of the swords willed from their father at the designated moment. They only had to wait for the signal from Kikyou and Kagome to unleash their assault.

The two priestesses worked quickly to affix Kouga's jewel shards to their arrows. Little discussion passed between them. Kagome drew up all the strength and confidence she could find within herself to give herself the poise she needed in order to hit her mark.

When tragedy struck, it struck quickly.

Naraku had quickly become annoyed with having to spread his attention to several different points of attack. He decided it was in his best interest concentrate his attack and take out his enemies one at a time. He turned his focus to the slayers.

When Kohaku advanced as Sango's boomerang made its return trip to its mistress, Naraku overwhelmed the young man with more tentacles and clawed hands than the young man could manage with his kusarigama. Sango screamed and attacked again, fighting to save her brother. Protecting his new prize, Naraku lost many appendages before he managed to knock Sango's feet from beneath her and deliver a blow that sent her several dozen feet into the forest. She hit a tree with a sickening thud and crumpled into an ugly heap.

While distracted, Kouga and Miroku rained blow upon damaging blow onto their enemy. Miroku saw Sango's injured body fly through the air. His superstitious feeling about the day reared up again and he was certain she was dead. Miroku cried out her name and redoubled his efforts, determined that she would not have died in vain.

Naraku held the struggling body of Kohaku above his head. He laughed as he brought up a sharpened claw and ripped open the young exterminator's back, extricating the jewel shard.

Kagome gasped and Miroku froze in horror. As the shard was removed, Kohaku's eyes went blank and dead. Naraku had just removed whatever memory the boy had regained. After flinging Kohaku's useless body away, toward the villagers who had come out of their houses to peek at the epic battle that was taking place in their back yards, Naraku regarded the unusual purity of the shard. He shrugged and joined it with the nearly complete jewel he kept, which tainted Kohaku's shard once more.

Miroku felt his heart sour. He had never felt like such an utter failure in his entire life. He had failed to save both Sango and her brother, whose life force was inextricably tied to the jewel in his back. But he made himself turn to see the havoc Naraku had wrought on the boy. If nothing else, it would prepare him to fight with renewed rage. But the strangest thing had happened.

Kohaku wasn't dead. Miroku saw the young take shuddering breaths, his aura almost as strong as it had been as he fought. Kohaku was injured and his memory was gone once more, but the boy was alive and struggling to bring himself to his hands and knees.

Miroku took a cleansing breath. If Kohaku could beat all of the odds and survive, maybe Sango was alive, too. Miroku would fight for their future. He snarled and darted his eyes to Kouga, willing the wolf demon to start fighting again. It was all the encouragement that was needed to start the battle once again.

Kagome's ear splitting, "NOW!" rang through the morning air followed by the sizzling and burning smell of frying ozone as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru attacked. Any shred that remained of Naraku's barrier was obliterated and a deep fission in the evil hanyou's body revealed an ugly purple-black lump that smelled of death and decay.

It was Naraku's heart.

Before Naraku could pull together enough power and energy to heal over the wound, Kikyou and Kagome acted. Drawing upon all of their spiritual energy and power, the two young women, side-by-side, aligned their arrows. Their auras glowed an identical and fierce electric blue that stung the eyes if stared at too intently.

Kikyou shot first, her aim at the sacred jewel. It was her duty to shatter the damned gem once more, sending all of her miko energy to purify it wholly. With the arrow went all of her power, all of the souls that had been sustaining her, almost everything she was. She collapsed at Kagome's feet.

Kikyou's aim was true and, to Naraku's utter surprise, the jewel purified and split, beginning to rain glassy razors over his nearly-devastated body, their untainted energy spoiling his flesh with boils and blisters.

A split second after Kikyou fell, Kagome took aim at Naraku's heart. She called on everything she was and everything she could be to help her hit the mark and drive the final stake that would end Naraku's life. Kikyou knew that whatever Kagome was able to give to her fight wasn't enough. One had to use the whole spirit to completely eliminate their foe and Kagome was still missing a part of hers. So in that last fraction of a moment before Kagome loosed her arrow, Kikyou sacrificed that bit of soul she had borrowed from Kagome for over a year and gave it back to her.

It worked. Kagome shot the arrow and it found its way into its new home, settling deep into Naraku's ugly heart.

Naraku, who had been screaming in agony at the feel of the purified jewel shards rotting his body's retched tissues, began to squeal and shriek at the new invasion. His legs and tentacles and other parts that he had been flinging about curled inward, reminding spectators of the actions of an injured spider. Then, with the last of his energy, he burst apart in a hail of light, flame, and reeking gore, incinerating both himself and all remnants of the jewel shard.

Miroku had brought up his sleeve to shield himself from the raining bits of Naraku that hadn't been consumed in the blast. When he brought down his arm, he looked around in wonderment.

Kagome was kneeling next to Kikyou, tears streaming down her face as she checked the older maiden for signs of life and finding none.

Miroku remembered Sango and rushed to find her. She was unconscious but alive a few feet into the forest at the foot of a tree. She had a nasty purple-black bruise webbing out from her temple and her wrist appeared to be broken. Miroku sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her, trying not to move her too much. He whispered into her ear, "We won. We won. We won."

Sango mewled and tried to fight her way back up from the depths of unconsciousness. Her eyes opened into slits and she groaned at the light. "Kohaku?" she finally managed.

Miroku stroked Sango's hair and kissed her uninjured temple. "He's still alive," he answered.

Sesshoumaru passed the pair as he left the battle, stoic as ever, but he emitted a pleased air about himself. Miroku called out to him, "Is Kikyou dead?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru replied without breaking step.

"Did you see Kohaku?" Miroku called again, this time successful in getting the dog demon to pause.

Sesshoumaru turned his head to look over his shoulder at Miroku. "That boy is gone. But I don't detect that he has died. If you find him, keep him away from Rin."

Sango, still fighting to right her senses, gasped and struggled against Miroku. "We have to find him! I won't lose him."

Miroku didn't allow Sango to stir. She was still too injured and he hadn't come out unscathed, either. "Hush," he said, trying to be soothing. "We now have our whole lives to find him."

"But he's close," argued Sango, but then turned her head and vomited. Her head wound needed serious tending and she could not exert herself. After long, hard minutes of fighting with Miroku, Sango conceded and allowed him to nurse her a little as long as he promised to look for Kohaku as soon as he was bandaged up.

The sun went down that day and the following days without any further sign of Kohaku.

-x-

Sango tried to smile at Miroku. She wasn't very successful.

"I'm sorry I didn't look for him sooner. I'm sorry I didn't gather him up as soon as he was free of Naraku," apologized Miroku, taking the fork in the road that was the quickest route to Kaede's.

"It's alright, Houshi-sama. It was very frustrating for a while, but we've done well together since then. I don't regret how anything has turned out for us in these past months."

Miroku knew that she genuinely accepted his apology, but he felt as though he shouldn't stop making it. He couldn't help wondering how much happier Sango might have been if only he had done things differently. He leaned down and took her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm, another tacit apology. Then he made his own request.

"Well, Sango, since we have many hours until we reach our destination, I think I'd like some memories as well. Tell me what you recall in the time since we defeated Naraku."

"Of course, Houshi-sama, under the condition you tell me yours."

"Of course," he smiled.

-x-

The days after their great victory were an odd combination of sadness and joy. Kikyou was again cremated and her ashes collected and restored to their proper resting place. Inuyasha mourned for the priestess as he had not the first time she had died. Kagome remained with him and felt the stinging loss of Kikyou's absence in ways she did not expect. But both Inuyasha and Kagome realized that her self-sacrifice had cleared a path for them to follow together.

Kouga, having avenged his wolf brethren, left soon after the battle to find remaining members of his pack and indulging in a howl-at-the-moon celebration. But he managed to sneak a friendly kiss from Kagome before he departed. Inuyasha was enraged when he found out. So he passionately showed Kagome what a real kiss was.

Miroku brought Sango to Kaede's village so that she could heal. It was well over a day after the battle that Miroku thought to look at his right palm. He had been so concerned about Sango, Kikyou, and Kohaku that he had forgotten about his own curse. He removed the gauntlet and saw that his wind tunnel was gone. His knees gave out and he took a private, tearful moment for himself, wondering at his strange and beautiful luck.

Sango convalesced for a few days before stubbornly insisting she was ready to start looking for Kohaku. She and Miroku began at the village and followed vague rumor and hearsay about her brother's whereabouts for nearly a month. After too many days of finding no trace of her brother, Sango decided it would be best to concentrate on making a place for her brother to come home to.

Miroku had remained stalwart at her side, offering to be strong enough for her to lean against when she needed him, which was quite often those first days after Naraku's defeat. Sango realized that Miroku hadn't wavered, that he wouldn't waver in his loyalty to her, and that she wanted to have him with her for the rest of her life.

So, almost a full month after their last battle with their old enemy, they married in Kaede's village. The wedding was attended by Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippou, and Kirara and officiated by Kaede and Mushin. It was a happy day, filled with laughter that was infused with a new, delighted feeling of hope. Even Sango, who was disappointed that her brother could not participate, had to collapse into giggles when she saw Mushin grope Kaede and Kaede smack Mushin in return.

After the wedding, Miroku and Sango made their more formal good-byes to Inuyasha and Kagome. The demon slayers' village wasn't a short walk from the Bone Eater's well and Kagome insisted that she needed to spend more time in her own world so that she could finish her schooling on time. Of course, Inuyasha agreed to follow her. Everyone was glad to discover that they could still time travel even without the jewel. However, though they would be back from time to time to visit Kaede and Shippou, trips to see Miroku and Sango would be less frequent. Knowing that the wedding would be their last day to enjoy each other's company for a while, they made that day as light and happy and joyous as they could before the sadness of their good-byes.

That may have been the first day that Sango truly allowed herself to hope so wildly that she could have her brother back. She forced Miroku to tell the story, again and again, about the last time he saw Kohaku. She wanted to know that memory of his down to the last detail.

Finally, in a playful mood a few days after the wedding, Miroku obliged Sango with the story once again, but only in exchange for a memory of her own. It became a game of sorts between them. One could ask for a memory from the other on a particular subject or event and the other had to give their account along with all of their thoughts and feelings about it until the asker was satisfied. It became a way for Sango and Miroku to know each other apart from their shared quest for revenge.

It was also a way to get Sango to laugh, again. After being so sad for so long, Sango sought laughter like a parched man searches for water. As she grew more confident in her hope that she, indeed, had a future and that she would eventually find Kohaku, she asked Miroku more and more for amusing memories from his past. Luckily, living with Mushin for so long, there was no shortage of those. Sango clung to each story and usually laughed much harder than the punch line of each story warranted. She desperately laughed, trying to leave the days of hopelessness and sadness behind her. Miroku realized this, but was so glad to hear the sound of her amusement that he accepted the fact that it wasn't so much that she was happy as it was that she was trying to convince herself that she _could_ be happy. He was sure that one day it would be genuine.

So they spent their days fixing the demon exterminator village, searching for Kohaku, playing their memory game, and finding a way to be happy in the moment and searching for their happiness in the future.

And it would seem that this potential future happiness had been seeking them out as eagerly as they sought it, Kohaku's kusarigama making its way to their very doorstep. It was now up to them to work and not squander the opportunity of being a whole family. So they made their way back to Kaede's village.

-x-

Dusk was just descending as they arrived at Kaede's village. It was that wonderful time of evening when the sun was so low on the horizon that the filtered light appeared not to be coming so much from the sky, but from within the trees, houses, and people they saw. Everything had a beautiful, blurry glow. No one knew that they were coming, so they weren't expecting much of a reception. But they had not expected that Kaede would not even be home.

Miroku and Sango set down their belongings outside of the old miko's hut and took Kirara and Kanashimi with them, looking for either Kaede or Shippou in the village. It didn't take long to figure out that most of the village was empty, some spectacle drawing its inhabitants away.

Miroku and Sango followed the sound of murmured disappointment and angered shouts to the village's graveyard.

"Miroku! Sango! Kirara!" a small voice yelled excitedly.

Shippou sprang from the crowd, bouncing to each of his missed friends in delight and enthusiasm. They all embraced the fox demon, keeping an eye on the unhappy crowd that was gathered at the edge of the shrine's cemetery.

"Hello, Shippou. It's so great to see you," Sango gushed. "But what's going on here? Where is Kaede?"

Shippou suddenly became serious and worried. He turned to look over his shoulder at the uneasy crowd and graveyard. "Kaede is at Kikyou's tomb. There was a horrible noise earlier this evening, like something being ripped up from the ground. The whole cemetery has been disturbed by something. People are saying it's a grave robber or evil demon. It's terrible! Someone stole Kikyou's ashes again!"

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. The Trouble is Just Begun

Author's Note: First of all, let me allay any fears about where this story is going (especially in regards to Kikyou's ashes). Believe it or not, I'm trying to avoid clichés or anything that's been done a thousand times before. So trust me. I know what I'm doing (I hope). Secondly, I think I may have access to AIM for a week, so check out my bio for details.

Kusarigama

By Starzki

Chapter 3: The Trouble is Just Begun

* * *

It took more than two hours for the excited horror of the village to settle and for people to return to their homes. In the meantime, Shippou had discovered Kanashimi and found, if not a kindred spirit, a new friend who was able to match his frenetic energy and excitement for extended periods of time.

Kaede was the last person to emerge from the graveyard. She understandably looked upset and worn by the fiasco. Despite that, she warmly greeted her new visitors and ushered them back to her home.

"We would understand if it was too much for you," Sango tried to argue. "We could stay at an inn or with someone else."

"Bah," scoffed Kaede. "There's nothing to be done tonight about it, anyway."

"Yeah," agreed Shippou "Stay with us. It gets too quiet around here when Kagome's away." Riding the surprisingly complacent Kanashimi as he would a small pony, Shippou led the group through the doorway of Kaede's small home.

As the group settled in for conversation, Kaede started, "Now, what brings you young people here so unexpectedly?" She looked eager to try to forget the second desecration of her sister's remains.

Miroku and Sango told the story of the surprise messenger with Kohaku's kusarigama and of their plans to find him and bring him home.

Miroku exchanged guilty glances with Sango and cleared his throat before continuing, "So I'm afraid we won't be much help for you in trying to get Kikyou's ashes back. We're really sorry. We'll try to discover what is going on. After we find Kohaku, I promise we'll do everything we can…"

Kaede waved him off. "All is understood. The last time, even upon quickly discovering the theft, and with Inuyasha's immediate action, we were still too late. If someone has some evil planned for my sister's remains, it would probably be too late for your help, anyway."

"But still," interjected Sango. "We'll do anything we can. Is there anything you can tell us about the person or thing that did this? Anything? After all that you've done for us, we'll help anywhere we can."

Kaede looked thoughtful. "No one witnessed the theft. No one even knows precisely when it occurred. We only know that it happened sometime between early afternoon and late this evening."

"So… nothing?" asked Miroku gently.

"The urn that held my sister's ashes was taken, too. It was light blue with a picture of a bellflower painted in white on its side."

"Okay, we'll ask about it wherever we go," promised Sango, patting Shippou's head as he crawled in her lap. Sleep was beginning to cloud his eyes.

"When are you guys going?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," replied Sango, running her fingers through his thick bangs.

"Would you like to come with us, Shippou?" asked Miroku.

Shippou's eyes lit up briefly, his drowsiness retreating, but then he looked at Kaede. He also looked out of the window, beyond which lay the Bone Eater's well. A serious expression settled into his features. "I better not. I'd like to come, but I think I'll be needed around here for a little while."

"You're getting so big," smiled Sango, kissing the top of his head. She knew he wanted to look after Kaede for a little while to make sure she would be okay. He was also waiting for Kagome and wanted to be around when she returned from her time.

Shippou continued, "But I sure hope you find your brother, Sango." Then, Shippou allowed himself to be hugged in a near bone-crushing embrace.

-x-

Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Kanashimi continued their trek toward Mt. Fuji the following morning. Again, before leaving, Sango and Miroku apologized effusively for not being able to help Kaede until they had Kohaku back.

Kaede understood. She was sending out messengers from her village far and wide to cover ground her age prevented her from traveling herself. Kaede knew how badly Sango wanted to be reunited with her brother and did not blame either her or Miroku for prioritizing their own quest above hers now that they had some idea of where Kohaku was.

As they traveled from village to hamlet to village, the four made quick work of the distance to Mt. Fuji. They stayed in front of the foul weather that kept threatening from the sky, making the ground hard and sending the forest creatures in search of the last fruits and that had not yet been already foraged or damaged by the early frost.

Everywhere they went, they inquired both after Kohaku and after Kikyou's remains. After two days, they had heard no news, good or bad, of either lost sibling.

They kept moving.

-x-

Miroku and Sango didn't realize how unused to walking all day they had gotten. By late afternoon on the third day after stopping by Kaede's village, they were tired and decided to stop and make camp for the night. They had eaten by early evening and were settling down for bed at sunset.

They were far enough away from any village that they knew passers-by would be unlikely and would be further undisturbed under Kirara's protection. Therefore, the couple turned to each other under the splashes of orange and pink and blue that colored the sky.

On her back, staring up at her husband as he began to kiss her face, her forehead, eyes, cheeks, and chin, Sango grew serious.

Drawing him down to kiss her mouth, she whispered, "I want a memory."

Miroku smiled and nuzzled her ear. Hands that had begun loosening clothing came up to her face and neck, skimming across Sango's smooth skin. "How about our wedding night?" he practically growled, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Sango pulled his face over hers where he could see how serious she was. "Do you love me, Houshi-sama?"

Miroku froze, confident smile falling from his face. Then he bent down and kissed Sango passionately, his tongue flicking over her lips, sensuously and urgently exploring her mouth. He pulled back and whispered, staring into her eyes, "You know I do. Don't ever doubt that I do."

Sango nodded and held his gaze, willing herself not to be completely overwhelmed by their deep indigo color. "Say the words. I want the words tonight," she demanded with a plaintive note in her voice.

Miroku didn't answer immediately. He continued to hold her eyes with his own, letting Sango see his lack of deception and guile. He brushed her bangs off of her forehead and whispered so softly that she didn't so much hear him as she felt the words as soft puffs of air on her nose and mouth. "I love you."

The corners of Sango's mouth turned up and happiness began to seep into the sad seriousness of her eyes. "I love you too, Houshi-sama."

Miroku smiled back and began kissing her again. "Good," he finally responded. "Now which memory would you like?"

Sango answered immediately, "When did you first know you loved me?"

Miroku paused his seduction momentarily, rolling onto his side and propping himself on his elbow. He gave a thoughtful glance to the setting sun. A dreamy smile settled over his face as he thought back. That pondering look, the way emotions replayed themselves for her to see on his handsome features: that was Sango's favorite part of their memory game.

"I think that part of me loved you from the second I saw you."

Sango chuckled. "Yeah? I think I know _which_ part. Pervert."

Miroku leaned down and kissed Sango's partially exposed collarbone. He glanced slyly up at her as he slowly ran his fingers over the fabric of the neckline, baring more and more of her shoulder with every stroke. "I'm completely serious," he protested.

Sango rolled onto her side, too, again pressing herself flush against Miroku. She kissed his cheek and pressed a hand against the hand Miroku was using to shift her clothes. She directed it to the places on her skin that made her want to melt into him. She also needed to direct it away from the places that would make her want to forget their conversation entirely. She had things to say. "I know. You fell in love with me the same way you fell in love with all the pretty girls you met."

Miroku held back a moan as Sango began to nibble at his ear. "You were different," he managed to say. He pressed her back onto the ground so that she would stop distracting him. "It's true, I realized right away how beautiful you were. But you were so determined when we first met you. You had this need to live and survive that captivated me. You could have been the ugliest woman that I had ever seen and that part of me would have still fallen in love with you from the start.

Sango playfully swatted his arm.

Miroku amended himself, "But it definitely helped that you were gorgeous."

Sango smiled, her look thoughtful. "You said a part of you fell in love. When did the rest of you? When were you all in love with me?"

"Do you remember that conversation we had by the river after Inuyasha had almost turned into a full demon when he was without his sword?"

"Yes."

"You said that since he stuck by you when you turned against him, you would stick by him."

"I remember."

"It was then that I knew you were more special than anyone I had ever met. It was exactly then that I fell in love with you."

"Why?"

"Your profession and experience demanded that you distrust demons, but you were willing to take the risk and stand by you friend, even when it might be dangerous. Not many people, even good people, would do that. That's when I knew."

Sango closed her eyes and felt peace settle over her. "Oh," she finally said to the darkening sky. "Thank you."

Miroku rolled back on top of Sango and resumed kissing her face. "When did you first fall in love with me?" he asked between pecks.

Sango laughed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, squeezing him down onto her. "You'll be surprised when I tell you."

Miroku stopped kissing her and pulled away a little, hovering over her face. Few things surprised him and he wanted to savor the moment. "Now I _must_ know. When?"

Sango laughed again and cupped his face in her hands. She kissed him gently on the nose and said, "When you first groped me."

Miroku's mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "Really?" he breathed, disbelieving. "I never thought that would actually _work_."

Sango laughed again, relishing seeing her usually unflappable husband a little flapped. But then Sango grew serious and sad again. "It was the first time anyone treated me like… well, like a woman. I had just seen everyone I loved die. I realized that there was absolutely no on alive who loved me, anymore. That's the worst feeling in the world. I was so injured, but knowing that no one alive cared about me was killing me faster than any of my wounds."

Sango scrunched up her face to keep from crying. This was a romantic moment between her and Miroku, the first they had shared in days, and she didn't want to pour ice water over it by becoming too upset. But she still needed to say it all.

"I didn't expect to survive after I fought with Inuyasha. When I did, I suddenly became this girl with her heart in her hands, holding it out and offering it to anyone so that they would love me back. I was really to meet all of you who were so kind and forgiving. Then you groped me. I didn't like it: the groping. But I saw it as proof that you at least liked me a little. I thought that you might one day love me… Love me the way a man loves a woman. It was the potential that you might love that me made me love you."

Miroku was touched. He began kissing Sango with more ardor. He kissed her eyes and face and neck while Sango kept going, lost in her memory.

"I was this broken girl with her heart in her hand and that day, I just gave it to you and prayed that you wouldn't abuse it too much."

"You're not broken," whispered Miroku into Sango's ear. He had begun loosening belts and clothing once more.

Sango pulled his face over hers once more and looked into his eyes. They reflected her own in their sadness and overwhelming love. "It's okay," she said. "It's not terrible. I was broken. I still am, a little. Because of Naraku, we're all a little broken."

Miroku opened his mouth to argue, but stopped. He knew what she meant. He was still trying to figure out his own life now that he had so much of it ahead of him. He sometimes felt that he was floundering in discovering what he would do with all the future he now had.

Sango finished, "But I made the right choice with you. We're healing. Both of us. Talking like this helps. We'll help each other." She pulled Miroku in for another deep kiss, crushing him to her as they stopped talking and lost themselves in one another.

Kanashimi had fallen asleep to the familiar feeling of his masters' love crackling in the air. But that night, he noticed their songs to one another were a little different. It was the first night Kanashimi noticed that the songs had dropped a few of the sadder notes and added a few more happy ones. He hoped it wouldn't be the last time their songs changed that way.

-x-

After another day and a half of walking, Miroku felt the draw of wanderlust returning. It was a feeling that he had tried to put into words many times, but always found it difficult. Traveling between villages, meeting new people, and the uncertainty of where he would sleep during the night was a comfort to him. It was as if the whole world was his home and there was a satisfying feeling that accompanied the knowledge that he was living, thriving, on his own.

After meeting, loving, and wedding Sango, the need to travel had quelled somewhat. He discovered that his home was wherever she was. It was lovely to know that she was there, in the slayer village, waiting for him to return whenever he had to leave. But it wasn't that he was coming home to the village. He was coming home to Sango.

Traveling _with_ her felt wonderful. That part of his spirit that had grown a little restless when they had settled into the village was at peace not that he was on the road. He quiet and at home at the same time.

"Houshi-sama?" asked Sango.

"Hmm?"

"You looked lost in thought," she answered, slipping Kanashimi some dried meat to keep his attention and obedience as he heeled.

"I was thinking about traveling with you. It's nice," said Miroku.

"Yes, but I'm eager to get home with Kohaku." Sango wasn't as enamored with travel as Miroku was. Miroku knew that she realized the necessity of traveling and enjoyed it when she did it, but she always considered her village as her place in the world.

Miles and minutes passed as they drew nearer to the next village. Encountering people on the path grew frequent and their progress grew a little slower as they politely acknowledged those they passed.

"Do you realize what village this is?" Miroku asked Sango.

"Of course. How could I forget? I just hadn't realized that we had traveled so far in such a short time. This is where we killed Naraku. This is where we lost Kohaku."

"Yes," replied Miroku. "Unfortunately, it seems as though this village has yet another demon problem."

It was faint, but Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and even Kanashimi (although he didn't know quite what he sensed) felt the presence of a demon coming from the village.

It was just then that several villagers appeared and ran quickly by Miroku and Sango, shouting to them not to enter the village because it was being eaten by a beetle demon.

Sango turned to Miroku with an excited glint in her eye. She had been craving some fighting action for days. Miroku knew this and grinned at her as she took some cover in the dense trees in order to change into her exterminator outfit. Kirara followed her. Miroku stood guard and kept off the path as a new stream of frightened villagers passed.

This group included a group of young children, excited and frightened by the sudden change in the sleepy village's usual monotony. One of the children, a young boy who was about seven or eight years old spotted Miroku and Kanashimi and skidded to a stop, staring at the monk.

"Who are you?" asked the boy with wide eyes.

"I'm Miroku," he answered with a bow. Then he gestured to the dog, "This is Kanashimi."

Kanashimi struggled to obey the "sit" command he had been given as he strained his neck closer to the child in order to sniff him. The boy didn't take an interest in the puppy. He seemed surprised by Miroku and eyed the chain around his waist. "I'm Kamatsu," he said warily.

"Don't worry. My wife is a demon slayer and she and I will take care of the beetle demon for your village."

Kamatsu nodded, then pointed to the blade partially hidden by Miroku's robes. "Is that yours? Will you kill it with that?"

"No," Miroku answered the inquisitive child. Then he admonished, "It would be a good idea for you to go find some place safe to stay while we destroy the demon in your village."

As the boy turned on his heel and scampered back down the path to rejoin his group, Sango and Kirara stepped from behind the trees.

"Ready?" Miroku asked.

"Always," answered Sango with a new spring in her step as the four approached the village that had already been the site of one of their most successful battles.

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED

A/N: Comments are very appreciated. Let me know what you think.


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